The MolePotatoes & Beans

The Mole (real name Colin de la Plante) delivers another batch of house tracks on Potatoes & Beans, but these ones feel a little more polished than his usual fare, lacking the hazy and hypnotic charm that characterizes a lot of his work. Whether you find that a good thing or not will come down to taste.

On opener and title track "Potatoes and Beans," de la Plante deploys a rich set of vocal samples sourced from vinyl to pleasing effect, especially when their rhythms diverge from that of their 4/4 framework, creating a sense of uncertainty and limbo. "Lonely Security Man" has galloping rhythms and steamy timbres, though a lack of development makes it feel more like a DJ tool than anything else.

On the B-side, "Help" pairs a straightforward bass line tethered around a house beat with a chaotic synth part, and the breakdown in closer "Second Dominant Lesson" provides a welcome break from the rest of the EP's 4/4 beats.

Potatoes & Beans may come off as a little rudimentary to some (which may be the point; these tracks could all drop well into a DJ set). But as an exercise in sunny, 120 BPM house music, it hits the mark.
(Sound of Vast)